Petition to stop possible closure of Cornwall's fire control centre
The centre at Tolvaddon is responsible for taking 999 calls and mobilising crews to emergencies
Last updated 21st Sep 2022
A petition has been launched to stop Cornwall's fire control centre being closed and merged with another service.
The centre, based at Tolvaddon, is responsible for taking fire 999 calls and mobilising crews to emergencies.
Last Wednesday, a person close to personnel said staff were called to a meeting and told the service was under review.
The source, who asked to remain anonymous, told us workers had been warned of "wholesale redundancy".
The person added outsourcing calls to those with no local knowledge would be "insanity" and the Fire Brigades Union has since said Cornwall Council should be "utterly ashamed".
Petition signed by over 4,000 people
The petition states: "The team are a critical function for the county. They answer over 59,000 calls every year, including 999 calls for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Also calls can come into Cornwall Critical Control for bordering areas of Devon and the resilience partnership with North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue".
It continues: "On a daily basis the call takers question people in a crisis about where they are, using the local knowledge to pinpoint exactly where the person is. Whether your house is burning down, you're trapped in a car or your dog is down a mineshaft, do you think some one who is hundreds of miles away could know where you are truly?"
It concludes: "The team want to raise awareness and put this petition to Cornwall Council to block any such proposal. Help to keep your 999 function in Cornwall!"
You can read more on the change.org petition website.
"No decisions have been taken"
We approached Cornwall Council for a statement and received the following from Cornwall's Chief Fire Officer, Kathryn Billing.
"Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service has been looking at all areas of the service to make sure we are making the best use of public money, continually improve the service and ensure sustainability for the future.
"There is an ongoing project to review Fire Control (the function of taking 999 calls and mobilising fire engines to emergencies). Yesterday staff were talked through the scope of the project for the first time and made aware that one option the service is exploring is to move into a partnership with other fire services to deliver the call handling and mobilising function of control.
"This has already been done successfully in other regions and could lead to Cornwall benefiting from enhanced mobilising technology.
"No decisions have been taken, but staff will be kept fully informed, and as the project continues more information will be provided as it becomes available".
Read More:
FBU union slams potential plans to scrap Cornwall's fire control centre
Potential plans to close Cornwall Fire & Rescue's 999 control centre